Fred: Only beating Young Boys will be fine with us

Saturday, July 23, 2016

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Shakhtar midfielder speaks about the upcoming game against Young Boys in the Champions League third qualifying round

- Fred, what do you know about your future opponents and the Swiss football in general?
- Honestly, I don’t know much. We have not taken a closer look at Young Boys yet. We were focused on our Premier League start. It was very important for us to start the league season with a win. I think that as early as tomorrow the team will start scrutinising the Swiss side’s performance. We must be well prepared to prevent any surprises from occurring in the game.

- Before the meeting with Shakhtar, the Swiss side will have only one official match - against St. Gallen. Meanwhile, the encounter with Young Boys will be your third game after the season kickoff. Can this be regarded as an advantage?
- I do not think it’s worth paying attention. More often than not, when we play the Champions League or Europa League games in winter, our opponents still play in their domestic leagues, while we have to take to the pitch after a long break. Nevertheless, in those matches, Shakhtar demonstrates good football. If Young Boys play in the Champions League, they really are a high-profile side. We need to carefully think it over. We must do our best to make it to the group stage. That’s crucial for Shakhtar.

- The first leg against Young Boys will be held at the Arena Lviv. There, the Pitmen enjoy great support in European competitions. Do you rely on the 12th man?
- Of course, we all hope that the capacity crowd will support us. It’s very important for the team to feel the fans’ warmth. It inspires all the players to act even better on the pitch.

- What outcome would be acceptable before the return leg in Switzerland?
- Only beating them will be fine with us.

- In one of the interviews, Paulo Fonseca said: ‘If Fred continues to work in the same vein, he will surely step it up even more.’ What do you make of your current form?
- I always try to give it my one hundred percent. I'm still quite young player and, of course, being side by side with the more experienced players, I learn something new every day. I think, with the support of our coach, not only me but the whole team will progress for sure.

You can purchase tickets for the match Shakhtar v Young Boys at the Arena Lviv ticket office, on the official website of FC Shakhtar and our partner sites (kasa.in.ua, internet-bilet.ua, ukrticket.com.ua, tickethunt.net and esport.in.ua).